TfL sets out plans to keep capital moving during unnecessary RMT strike action

• LU to run as many services as possible during strike starting on Bank Holiday Monday, but there will be disruption and customers are urged to check before they travel at tfl.gov.uk
• Extra bus and river services, to help Londoners get around
• Licensed and trained TfL Ambassadors will help to keep Tube stations open and provide travel information and advice to customers
• The Tube carried up to 57 per cent of its usual passenger numbers during strike earlier this week and up to 80 per cent of stations were open
• RMT union urged to join LU and the other unions in continuing discussions rather than threatening more disruption

Transport for London (TfL) today set out a range of measures to help keep London moving and open for business next week, should a second set of strikes threatened by the leadership of the RMT union on London Underground (LU) go ahead. The RMT strike action is currently due to affect services from around 21:30 on Bank Holiday Monday 5 May and throughout the whole of Tuesday 6, Wednesday 7 and Thursday 8 May, with services not returning to normal until the morning of Friday 9 May.

During this week's strike action LU managed to run fifty per cent of Tube services across the 48-hour action and carried up to 57 per cent of the usual number of passengers, far higher than during the last strike in February. 

Up to 80 per cent of stations were open and around 90 per cent of Oyster cards that would usually be seen on the TfL network were seen - showing that Londoners continued to get around the city despite the disruption.

The highest number of buses ever deployed in London's history were also in action carrying over a million extra passengers and the Barclays Cycle Hire saw its busiest day ever with over 49,000 trips on Wednesday.

These strikes have been called by the leadership of the RMT union over plans to modernise the Tube.

Under these plans, at the busiest stations there will be nearly a third more staff visible and available to provide, on a permanent basis, the face-to-face customer service offered during the London 2012 Games.

Visitors to London and people with disabilities will be better looked after than ever before.

The modernisation will see savings of £50 million a year which will be reinvested in more frequent and reliable train services and will help keep fares down.

LU has made five commitments to customers

• All stations will remain staffed and controlled at all times, with more staff visible and available to help customers and keep them safe and secure
• A new 24-hour service on core parts of the Tube network at weekends from 2015
• More frequent and reliable train services with better, more accessible stations
• Simpler ticketing, including contactless bank card payment with daily and weekly fares capping
• The best possible value by running our services as efficiently as possible while improving customer service

From day one, LU has also guaranteed that modernisation will be taken forward with no compulsory redundancies, a job for everyone who wants to continue working at LU and no member of staff sees their pay cut as a result of the changes proposed.

Talks between LU and the unions, three of which are not carrying out strike action, will take place at ACAS today. LU will be urging the RMT leadership to call off next week's action. However, at present, the RMT strike is still on and customers are asked to plan ahead

 

Phil Hufton, London Underground's Chief operating Officer, said: "We are committed to maintaining and improving the Tube's excellent safety and customer service record and our plans to modernise the Tube will do just that. It will increase the number of visible staff on the network - by 30 per cent at our busiest stations - who will personally serve our passengers, providing help for customers who need it most.

"Fairness to our staff is guaranteed.  As we have always made clear, there will be no compulsory redundancies, there is a job for all staff wanting to remain with us and no one will lose pay. We have also made significant changes to our original proposals after listening to our people and the unions.

"The only sensible course is for the RMT leadership to join us and the other unions in continuing discussions and to work with us to shape the future of the Tube, rather than threatening more pointless strike action which will only disrupt Londoners and lose staff pay.

"Should next week's strike go ahead there will be some disruption, but we aim to build on what we delivered this week - when we ran over fifty per cent of Tube trains and kept eighty per cent of stations open - to provide an even better service."

 

Travel advice to customers during the RMT strike action:

Should the strike action go ahead, LU will keep as many stations open and run as many trains as possible. 

Services will be affected from 21:30hrs on Bank Holiday Monday 5 May so customers are asked to try and complete journeys as early as possible that evening.

If your Oyster card needs topping up, it may help to do this in advance of the industrial action starting.

There will be disruption to journeys on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, when Tube services will start later and finish earlier than normal - trains will run from around 07:00hrs to 23:00hrs.

However, customers are advised that the last services from central London may depart significantly earlier than this, at around 9.30pm.

Although it is not possible to say exactly what services we will be able to run, the line-by-line information below will help customers to plan journeys in advance. However, customers are advised that the situation may change throughout the day.

Buses and other modes of transport may also be very busy. Those public transport workers who are on duty during the strike will be doing their very best to keep London moving and open for business. 

TfL asked customers for their patience during what may be difficult journeys.

TfL Ambassadors and volunteers will also be on hand to provide customers with travel information and advice on the ground.

TfL urges all customers to plan ahead and to check before they travel at tfl.gov.uk and by following @TfLTravelAlerts, @TfLTrafficNews and @TfLBusAlerts on Twitter.

 

Tube

In addition to those stations listed here as closed, some others may also need to close at times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bakerloo line @bakerlooline

We expect to run trains between

• Queen's Park and Elephant & Castle around every six minutes in both directions. Trains will not stop at Edgware Road, Embankment, Kilburn Park, Lambeth North, Maida Vale, Piccadilly Circus or Regent's Park stations. It is possible that some other stations may also need to close at times

Central line @centralline

We expect to run trains between

• West Ruislip / Ealing Broadway and White City around every 10 - 15 minutes in both directions
• Hainault and Marble Arch around every ten minutes in both directions
• Epping and Leytonstone around every ten minutes in both directions
• Woodford and Hainault around every 20 - 30 minutes in both directions If possible we will extend trains through the central area to provide an end to end service.
• Trains will not stop at Bond Street, Bethnal Green, Chancery Lane, Holland Park, Lancaster Gate, Notting Hill Gate, Queensway, Redbridge or Wanstead stations.
• It is possible that some other stations may also need to close at times.

Circle line @circleline

We expect to run trains between

• Hammersmith and Aldgate around every ten minutes in both directions Trains will not stop at Barbican, Great Portland Street or Ladbroke Grove stations. 
• It is possible that some other stations may also need to close at times.

District line @districtline

We expect to run trains between

• Wimbledon and Upminster around every 10 minutes in both directions
• Wimbledon and Edgware Road around every 15 minutes in both directions
• Ealing Broadway and High Street Kensington around every 15 minutes in both directions
• Trains will not stop at Sloane Square or Fulham Broadway stations.  It is possible that some other stations may also need to close at times

Hammersmith & City line @hamandcityline

We expect to run trains between

• Edgware Road and Barking around every 15 minutes in both directions Trains will not stop at Barbican, Great Portland Street or Ladbroke Grove stations. 
• It is possible that some other stations may also need to close at times

Jubilee line @jubileeline

We expect to run trains between

• Stanmore and Stratford around every seven minutes in both directions.
• Trains will not stop at Bermondsey, St. John's Wood and Swiss Cottage stations.  It is possible that some other stations may also need to close at times

Metropolitan line @metline

We expect to run trains between

• Harrow-on-the-Hill and Aldgate around every ten minutes in both directions
• Uxbridge and Harrow-on-the-Hill around every 20 minutes in both directions
• Amersham and Baker Street around every 30 minutes in both directions Trains will not stop at Barbican, Great Portland Street, North Harrow, Northwood, Northwood Hills or Pinner stations
• It is possible that some other stations may also need to close at times

Northern line @northernline

We expect to run trains

• Over the whole line with a train around every five minutes via both the Bank and Charing Cross branches in both directions
• Trains will not stop at Angel, Borough, Chalk Farm, Embankment, Mornington Crescent and Warren Street stations. 
• It is possible that some other stations may also need to close at times

Piccadilly line @piccadillyline

• No service would operate through the central area

We expect to run trains between

• Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3 and Acton Town around every 15 minutes in both directions; if possible we will extend this service to Hammersmith
• Arnos Grove and Cockfosters around every 15 minutes in both directions
• Trains will not stop at Heathrow Terminal 4, Heathrow Terminal 5, Hounslow West or Southgate stations.  It is possible that some other stations may also need to close at times

Victoria line @victorialine

We expect to run trains between

• Walthamstow Central to Brixton every five minutes in both directions
• Trains will not stop at Pimlico, Vauxhall or Warren Street stations
• It is possible that some other stations may also need to close at times

Waterloo & City line @wlooandcityline

• No service would operate except during the morning peak period when we may be able to operate trains around every five minutes in both directions
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buses

• London buses operate around 700 routes and services are being boosted with over 250 extra buses on key routes
• TfL Ambassadors and volunteers are being deployed to bus stations and hubs to provide customers with travel information and advice on the ground.

Coaches

Several coach operators, including National Express and Green Line, offer services that stop in a number of locations throughout London.

Some of the core coach routes are as follows:

• Golders Green - Finchley Road - Baker Street - Marble Arch - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
• Brent Cross - Finchley Road - Baker Street - Marble Arch - Victoria (Green Line)
• Hillingdon - Shepherd's Bush/Baker Street - Marble Arch - Victoria (Oxford Tube & X90)
• Hammersmith - Kensington - Hyde park Corner - Victoria (Green Line) Stratford - Bow - Aldgate - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
• Bexley - Canary Wharf - Aldgate - Embankment - Victoria Street (Commuter Services)
• Coulsdon - Wallington - Streatham - Stockwell - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
• Sutton - Wallington - Streatham - Stockwell - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)
• Eltham - Lewisham - Walworth - Elephant & Castle - Victoria Coach Station (National Express)

Tickets can be purchased in advance from the Victoria Coach Station ticket hall, or on the operators websites:

• http://www.nationalexpress.com   for main site and bookings
• http://coach.nationalexpress.com/nxbooking/stop-finder to find where the coach stops are in London
• http://www.greenline.co.uk   for main site and bookings
• http://www.greenline.co.uk/timetables-search/  for location of stops in London
• www.oxfordtube.com   
• http://x90.oxfordbus.co.uk

London Overground

• A normal service will operate.
• Some stations where there is an interchange with London Underground may be affected

Tramlink

• A normal service will operate

Emirates Air Line

• A normal service will operate
• LU tickets will be accepted on Emirates Air Line services

Cycling

• Barclays Cycle Hire will be available to members and casual users, although demand is likely to be high, and cycles harder to access, during peak times
• Londoners who own a bike are encouraged to cycle to work, and a Cycle Journey Planner is provided at tfl.gov.uk/cyclejourneyplanner
• TfL is writing to hundreds of businesses across London to ask them to be flexible and make it easy for staff to cycle to work, and to allow staff to wear casual clothes on the day

River Services

• Enhanced River services will be in place
• The main Thames Clippers RB1 river bus service will be enhanced by running extra journeys between London Eye, London Bridge, Canary Wharf and Greenland piers during both the morning and evening peaks
• In combination with the normal timetabled service, this will provide a 10 to 15 minute frequency on the busiest central London piers during the morning and evening peaks
• On the RB6 Putney - Blackfriars route, the morning eastbound timetable will be enhanced with additional boats leaving Putney and calling at all piers throughout the AM peak period
• On the RB6 route, the evening westbound timetable will be enhanced with additional boats leaving Blackfriars and Embankment and calling at all piers to Putney throughout the PM peak period
  

Taxis & Private Hire

• During peak times a marshalled taxi service will operate at eight major London rail termini - Euston, Waterloo, Liverpool St, London Bridge, King's Cross, Victoria, Charing Cross, and Marylebone. The marshals will manage taxi and  passenger queues and provide advice and assistance to taxi passengers and other members of the public
• Private hire and minicab services will be running as normal. Details for licensed private hire and minicab operators in London are available at http://tfl.gov.uk/cabwise      .

National Rail

• Oyster Pay As You Go is accepted for all National Rail journeys within Greater London
• Travelcards are also valid for travel on National Rail within the zones purchased.

Walking

• Walking maps will be provided online, in bus, rail, and Tube stations in Zone 1 and other key outer London stations, with TfL Ambassadors and volunteers helping people plan their routes around the city
• People are urged to use here walking for short journeys, where possible

Roads and the Congestion Charge

• To help keep traffic flowing, the Congestion Charge will remain in operation throughout the strike
• TfL will be delaying or curtailing road works on major London roads wherever possible and has encouraged all London boroughs to take similar measures on their network
• TfL will also work with the Metropolitan Police to minimise the impact of congestion
• TfL will be working to keep traffic flowing around major transport hubs
• Londoners and commuters are encouraged to keep journeys by car to a minimum to enable public transport to move freely